Christmas 2003: Lighting of the Tree
by ajremix
Summary: Seven Swans a Swimming... Seventh present in my Christmas project. Zero takes a dare and drags X for the ride.


Part of my Christmas special. Everyday a gift, everyday something different. To open every present, go to my Christmas 2003 page.  
  
~*~*~*~  
  
Lighting of the Tree Rockman X Virgo  
  
This, he had decided long ago, was insane.  
  
No, this was more than insane. This was stupid. It was stupid and it was childish and it was something only Axl would come up with in a drunken stupor.  
  
And it was something only Zero would agree to, in /or/ out of a drunken stupor.  
  
And /he/ of course, was stupid enough to go with him.  
  
'And just /why/ am I here with him?' X asked himself. 'Because he asked.'  
  
Of all the stupid reasons....  
  
While X was over there, giving himself the mental beating of his life, a cold hand touched his arm, shocking even through his jacket. Biting off a yelp, he jumped, banging his head against the ceiling and hissed quietly. Glaring, he found Zero was somewhat amused.  
  
"What?" X quietly grumbled. He knew Zero was enjoying this, he lived for this kind of thing, even without the threat of death over his head. Instead they both had the threat of non-judicial punishment which- in X's mind -was infinitely worse. And when Zero got stuck with barracks restriction, he would be stuck right next to him (as always) and laughing at him the entire time.  
  
However, as thoughts of NJP went through his head, he noticed that Zero looked vaguely embarrassed. "What is it?" X prompted again. This was not an action he was accustomed to from the blonde.  
  
"I, er...." he looked back down the long, narrow stretch. "I don't know where I'm going."  
  
At that, X rolled his eyes. While Zero had more than enough testosterone to spare, he never understood what the big deal was with asking for directions. Especially from his best friend.  
  
"Do you want /me/ to lead."  
  
Zero frowned minutely. "Just tell me where to go."  
  
That made X quirk an eyebrow. So that was it.... Zero didn't like being second to anyone, even for something as trivial as 'directions'. Though X would've pointed out that he would still, technically, be leading, he supposed as long as it seemed like Zero was still in control, that's all that mattered.  
  
"Fine, fine." X pointed straight ahead. "Keep going. We have to reach the next junction and get our bearings first." Of course X would be the one to study the building schematics, even though it was Zero that took up the dare. The two were currently deep in the Hunter's HQ, so deep they were in the air ducts, cursing at the alternating heat blowing through the building and the cold areas of the storage facilities and labs.  
  
It didn't take long for X to figure out where they were and where they were headed, he could pull up any floor plan he wanted at a moment's notice- Zero too if he actually looked at floor plans. He pointed out the direction they wanted and had to remind himself that he was supposed to stay in the back. He didn't really know if he was annoyed with Zero's need to be ahead or not. While it was bothersome (in times such as this) it was also reassuring because while Zero was a natural leader and hated to be told what to do, he was also responsible and rarely ever led anyone following into a nasty situation if he could help it.  
  
And then (also in times such as this) he would be the reckless joker he was often thought to be and take his best friend out on an excursion that would- if they were caught -ruin both their careers and records irreversibly. But, X sighed, because he was stupid enough to follow in such occasions he might as well suck it up and take the consequences quietly.  
  
He instructed Zero in the turn at the next branch and, after a several minutes of crawling forward, they reached another junction, this time taking the maintenance ladder straight up.  
  
"Man.. Are we almost there?" Zero seethed quietly so only the edges of his voice echoed. By this time they had been going through the air ducts for nearly an hour.  
  
"Almost."  
  
Above him, the blonde heaved a low breath, stopping momentarily. He looked down at X. "What time is it?"  
  
X frowned at him flatly. Zero very well knew the time but he decided to humor him anyway. "We have 23 minutes until the others figure that you chickened out or couldn't pull this off."  
  
Again Zero huffed, this time his eyes narrowed and lips pressed together thinly. "Me? Chicken out? Feh!" He started up again, vigor renewed and not seeming to care that his voice was dangerously getting too loud. "We'll show them, ne X?"  
  
He repressed a groan but pushed himself upward. He didn't want to do this, really. But.. he sighed. He just couldn't say no to Zero...  
  
"It should be right there."  
  
"Here?"  
  
"Further to the right. See it? The small knick in the wall?"  
  
"Oh yeah, I see it. With all the boxes, right?"  
  
"Right."  
  
X followed Zero up to the inlet, balancing tirelessly on the ladder as the blonde crawled in. With his long, lanky body, Zero was scrunched up almost comically in the small area. He made a face but went around, opening up all the breakers and unloading all the gear he had carried around in the small bag attached to his waist.  
  
"Do you know what you're doing?" X asked, arms woven through the rungs.  
  
"Not a damn clue."  
  
"Hm." He frowned. "Then how do you know you're doing this right?"  
  
"I guess we'll find out when we flip the switch."  
  
That was one thing that annoyed him with Zero. When it cam to things like this, the taller reploid never seemed to care. Oh, X knew he did despite his acting, but it still bothered him when he pretended it didn't. He didn't even realize that he was grumbling to himself.  
  
"Why am I doing this?"  
  
He blinked in surprise when Zero suddenly leaned back on him, an arm reaching up and draping across the back of his neck, pulling the smaller reploid's head closer to him.  
  
"You're my best bud." Zero said, easy smile on his face and eyes closed. "You wouldn't leave me at a time like this."  
  
"You don't know how many times I've been thinking about it."  
  
Zero tilted his head back to look at X, wide grin on his face. "But would you?"  
  
He stilled. And he warred. And then he sighed. "..No."  
  
"See?" He gave X an awkward, one-armed hug. "And that's why you're my better half."  
  
X couldn't help but to smile a bit. "You've never left me."  
  
"Of course not! You're just more considerate about our friendship. You ask me for help on all the normal things. I bring you for stuff that could get you into big trouble. And you never say no."  
  
He laughed quietly at the thought, leaning a bit more on Zero. "No. I never do."  
  
"That's why I say you're my better half." Zero purred, comfortable despite the cramped space.  
  
"Well, you keep my life interesting. I suppose I should thank you for that."  
  
Zero grinned widely again. "Of course! We're two wild and crazy guys!"  
  
X grinned and pushed his friend away. "No, you're the wild and crazy one. I just keep getting caught up in the madness. Get working, we don't want them to think that we've chickened out, now do we?" The other gave him a thumbs up before getting back to work.  
  
Zero worked quickly, fingers flicking through the wires, disconnecting, moving, reconnecting as if he were created for this. If nothing else, X had to admire Zero's skill for covering up any doubt in his abilities. If it weren't for the fact that X had asked and Zero was comfortable enough around him to admit his shortcomings, X would have believed that the other knew exactly what he was doing.  
  
X checked the time again. "We have ten minutes."  
  
"More than enough time." Zero mumbled around the little bit of tape he had in his mouth. Carefully pinching the two wires together, he took the tape and wrapped them up. "There." He said, replacing all his tools. "Let's go."  
  
They reached the bottom of the ladder quickly- sliding down most of the way -but X was stopped as he was heading back into the air ducts.  
  
"Eh?" He looked in confusion as Zero led him in another direction. "Where are you going?"  
  
"This way." He coaxed X forward. "It's quicker and easier."  
  
"Wait.. You mean we're going out the front?"  
  
"Of course!" Zero flashed him a grin. "They don't know we've been in there, they have no reason to suspect us."  
  
X's brow furrowed. "They didn't in the beginning." He frowned. "Or were you just doing that for effect?"  
  
Zero paused, as if he were thinking about. "Maybe."  
  
X grimaced. "I thoroughly dislike you."  
  
"No you don't."  
  
"I can certainly start."  
  
"You could, but you won't." As they passed through the doors, Zero dug into his bag and brought out the trigger for this event, a nice, shiny red button at the top. "Would you like to do the honors."  
  
"Sure, sure." Unenthusiastically X held out his hand.  
  
"Oh, come on! You have to have more energy than that! You can't go around doing dares without any intensity!" X just gave Zero a look and the blonde sighed. "You're no fun." But he handed over the trigger.  
  
"Well, /you/ could do it."  
  
"That wouldn't be very friendly of me." X snorted- not entirely upset, he was actually getting sort of excited to see if it would work -but said nothing. Once they were a good distance away from the building- able to fully view the tallest spire -Zero held up his comm link. "Yo, Axl!"  
  
There was a slight crackling of static and then a voice came over. "You get it?"  
  
"Of course! You think I'd break my word?"  
  
"Well.." There was the sound of chuckling on the other end.  
  
"You punk! Zero never backs down from a dare!" But he grinned, venom far from his voice.  
  
"Right, right. We'll believe you when we see it."  
  
"Okay then. You and the guys grab yourselves a good seat. We're about to see the culmination of tonight's work."  
  
There was a slight pause before Axl came on again. "All right, Zero. We're ready. But I still don't get what this has to do with the dare."  
  
"Don't worry, you'll find out." Zero turned to X. "On the count of three."  
  
The blue bomber nodded. "One.."  
  
Zero's grin grew. "Two.."  
  
"Three!" They cried together as X slammed his palm into the button.  
  
In an instant all the lights in the tallest building of Hunter HQ flickered off. And, for a long while, stayed off. For a moment Zero thought that he had left something disconnected. Until the building flashed on again. On each side of the building, various windows were lit, forming a traditional Christmas tree silhouette. Complete with a star at the top.  
  
His victorious grin back in place, Zero turned on his comm link again.  
  
"Told ya I'd get you guys a tree for Christmas. Now, I do believe I'm owed a good amount of money..." 


End file.
